Page last updated 31/05/07 Coalcleugh Bargain BooksThe bargain systemLead miners in the Allendale area were employed on the basis of 'bargains' between the mine owner's agent and small groups of partners - usually four to eight partners. The partnership would agree to mine in a given area of the mine and the agent would agree to pay a certain rate for every load of ore raised to the surface. This 'bargain' would be renewed normally on a quarterly basis with the rate being adjusted according to how easy it would be to extract ore from the agreed area. Thus a vein rich in ore would pay a lower rate than one poor in ore - the miners were not paid for the 'gangue' or waste rock they would have to extract to get at the ore. An area with poor ventilation would pay a better rate than one with good ventilation. Market conditions and the cost of living would also affect the rate agreed - on the one hand the miners wanted a living wage but when the market for lead was poor the owner would instruct the agent to pay less. If the miners would not accept the lower rate offered they would be out of work but the mine's output would fall and hence the owner's profit would also fall. Unless the bargain would actually result in a loss to the mine owner it was in the agent's interest to strike an acceptable bargain. This waste rock was known as dead rock or 'deads'. The bargain might some times include a fixed payment towards 'deadwork' or pay an agreed amount per fathom of shaft opened up where it was necessary to drive a shaft in non-ore bearing rock in order to develop the mine. At times the vein would prove richer than expected - which case the miners would do well until the next bargain time - and at others it would prove poorer - in which case they would suffer. However the miners would generally know their ground better than the the agent! When the bargain was settled the proceeds were normally shared equally among the partners but this was essentially an internal matter for the partnership; one or two labourers might be included in the partnership for less skilled work. Payment of the labourers was the responsibility of the partnership, as was the supply of consumables - such as candles and at a later date blasting powder - and tools. Picks and drills would require sharpening by the mine's blacksmith - but this would also be charged. Advance payments would normally be made to the miners on a monthly basis and reclaimed from the settlement. At times there would not be enough money to cover the advance and the outstanding balance would be carried forward. Amount of such arrears are recorded in the General Cash Book for the mine. Note: 1 fathom = 6 feet = 1.83 metres. (A passage
would normally be 2ft6ins to 3ft wide and 5ft 6ins to 6ft 6ins high) The Bargain BooksThe books in which the bargains were recorded for Coalcleugh mine have survived from 1806 onwards and can be viewed at the Northumberland Record Office. (NRO 672/e/3A) I have transcribed the bargains involving members of the Swindle families from the first book (1806 - 1809) and will publish them on this site at a later date. However the first two bargains involving John Swindle are typical:- Coalcleugh Mine 31 Dec 1805
Coalcleugh Mine 26 Mar 1806
Summary of Swindle entriesSix different Swindle miners appear in the Coalcleugh bargain book for 1806 - 1816 John Swindle from 1806 to June 1812 (probably
John Swindle
died in November 1812) Note: in 1813 a new agent, George Crawhall, took over at Coalcleugh. The new broom seems to have altered the nature of some of the bargains and to have caused a considerable change in the partnerships. 1807 workforceThe bargain book list over 138 miners (including labourers) involved in bargains on 31 Dec 1806. The following is a list of the first half (Miners at Welhope, Kiersleywell and Hearty Cleugh are listed in a separate bargain book). Each partnership starts on a new line. Thos
Edgar and Son, Jonah Ward and Son |